Liquid-measuring device



(No Mode l.)

W. H. BEEOHER. LIQUID MEASURING DEVICE.

Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

m: NORRIS PETEfiS co, Pnomurncu. WASMINGYDN, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

WALTER H. BEECHER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LIQUID-MEASURING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,026, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed January 25, 1892. Serial No.419,124=. (No model.) i

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER H. BEECHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Measuring Devices for Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to measuring and registering devices for liquid-tanks, especially such as are used for delivering and retailing coal-oil and similar liquids.

Its object is to provide an accurate means to keep a correct record of the liquid sold.

The invention consists in the arrangement and combination of devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in connection with which the invention will be first fully described, and then particularly referred to and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference-letters wherever they occur throughout the various views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of tank provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the lever-and-link attachment for operating the faucets. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the registering device with part of the cap removed, upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a detail view, upon an enlarged scale, in vertical section, of the pipes and cocks for filling and emptying the measuring-vessels. Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view of the faucet-actuating lever and its connections, taken through line as so of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a central vertical sectional view of the same, taken through line y y of Fig. 6. Both Figs. 6 and 7 are upon an enlarged scale.

Referring to the parts by reference-letters, A represents an ordinary wagontank removed from the truck.

B B are two measuring-vessels supported by straps b from the under side of the tank A.

O is a supply-pipe leading from the bottom of the tank and connected by a union 0 and branch pipes c c with the casings c? of the three-Way cocks 0 These cooks are connected by pipes c with the measuring-tanks and by pipes '0 with a discharge-pipe O, the end of which is provided with a faucet-cock C The three-waycocks c are so arranged that when their levers c are perpendicular, as shown, both the cooks are closed, as seen in Fig.5, and, the levers being coupled to move together, when the levers are thrown in one direction the supply will be opened from the tank to one of the measuring-vessels and the supply from the tank will be out 01f from the opposite measuring-vessel and its discharge opened. When the levers c are thrown in the opposite direction, the supply will be turned into the empty measuring-vessel and the discharge of the opposite filled vessel opened, so that one vessel is always filling while the other is discharging when the levers are thrown to either one side or the other.

I will now describe the means for operating the three-way cocks, which consist of a sliding bar D, having pins (1, which pass through the lower slotted ends of the leverarms 0 The opposite rear end of the bar D has a vertically-projecting pin which traverses the slot in the inner end of the pivoted lever D. This lever is pivoted on a pin on the bottom of the strap-hanger d. The opposite end of the lever D is also slotted to receive a pin secured in the inner end of the bar D This bar is actuated by a hand-lever D which is secured upon a rock-shaft d which is journaled in the lower part of a semicircular case E. The upper and outer part of this case is provided with three notches to receive a spring-pressed trigger d to retain the lever in the position desired. Secured upon the same shaft (1 and within the case is an arm (1 and pivoted upon this arm and within the case is a double dogging-pawl d the detents of which alternately engage notches in the edge of a quadrant c. A coiled spring d, which is compressed between the upper end of the dog or pawl and bar d holds either detent of the pawl in the notches of the quadrant, depending upon which side it is thrown. The purpose of this arrangement is to compel the lever to complete its throw in one direction before it can be returned, and this is accomplished by the curved wall of the case on either side throwing one deteut of the pawl out and the other in when the lever D has reached the limit of its movement in either direction, as shown in dotted line, Fig. 7.

The delivery-pipe O is jointed at 0 in order that the faucet C may be elevated to allow large measuring-vessels to be placed underneath it. The forward end is supported by a hanger c through which the pipe passes freely. The upper end of the hanger is slotted to pass over a screw in the end of the tank, and athumb-nut 011 the screw clamps the hanger to the end of the tank to prevent it from rattling. To elevate the faucet, the nut is loosened, when the hanger may slip up.

On the rear end of the tank, near one side, is a register F, which may be of any approved construction; but the form I have illustrated upon an enlarged scale, Fig. 4, is peculiarly adapted for my purpose. The dials in front of the driving-wheel f and the Wheel 1 are removed, as is also the front cap of the case, to expose 'the registering mechanism. The ratchet-wheel f has a disk f secured to it, which has four teeth projecting from its periphery. The periphery of the disk between the teeth is concentric and fits into the concave depressions between the notches in the wheel f, so that the wheel f each time it. makes one-fourthof a revolution turns the wheelf one-ninth ofarevolution. Thewheel f is moved one eighth of a revolution at each throw of the lever D and every two strokes the wheel f is moved the distance. of one notch. The succeeding wheels are allnotched similar to wheel f, and each shaft carries a disk like the disk f with the exception that they have one tooth instead of four shown on the disk f so that each succeeding wheel turns but the distance of one notcl1,while the wheel to right of it makes a full revolution. The dial of the first wheel f is marked alternately with ciphers and figures 5. measuring-vessels each being of a size to hold five gallons, the first dial therefore indicates units, the second tens, the third hundreds, the fourth thousands. The wheel fis actuated by two pawls g and g. The hooked pawl 9 turns it one-eighth of a revolution on its downstroke, and the pushing-pawl 9 turns it another one-eighth of a revolution on the upstroke, and both pawls are held in contact with the Wheel fby a spring 9 and are pivcted to cross-head g, which is part of a sliding bar 9 which is guided vertically within the case by straps. The bar 9 is given a reciprocating motion by the lever G, which is pivoted at 9 upon the bracket secured to the tank-body. The upper end of this lever is connected by a link 9 to a bell-crank lever g, which is pivoted upon a bracket secured to the tank. The horizontal end of the bellcrank lever is bent (see Fig. 2) to connect with a link 9 which link couples the end of the bell-crank lever to the sliding bar 9 The lower end of the lever G is slotted, and a pin passing through this slot connects it to the sliding bar D The parts are all shown in the position they would occupy when the lever D is at its center notch. The registering-pawls g g are The senses therefore at half-stroke. On the completion of the stroke one tooth of the wheel f is brought into one of the notches in the wheel f, and on the next stroke of the bar g the wheel f is moved the distance of one notch and the tooth of the wheel f freed from the notch.

Each of the measuring-vessels 'B B is fitted at its elevated ends with vent-pipes b b, Which curve around the tank and extend to the top of it, where they are secured in place by straps b The operation of the device is as fellows: The parts being in the position shown in the drawings, the front measuring-vessel B being filled and the rear one B. empty, the salesthan at the rear'end of the tank d'raws the lever toward him into the rear notch. This opens the discharge from the vessel 'B, and also opens the supply from the tank through pipe 0 to the measuring-vessel B. The same operation turns the registering-wheel f oneeighth of a revolution and exposes the number 53 The liquid is thus drawn ofi through the faucet C until the measuring-vessel B is empty. The attendant then throws the lever into the forward notch in the sector in the case E. This opens the discharge from the vessel B and opens the supply from the pipe 0 into the measuring-vessel B. At the same time it turns the registering-wheel f another one-eighth of a revolution, exposing a cipher on the dial and turning the wheel f" the distance of one notch, exposing the figure 1, which indicates that ten gallons have passed from the tank into the measuring-vessels. It will thus be seen that an accurate record of the amount of liquid drawn from the tank will at all timesappear upon the face of the register and any carelessness or dishonesty on the part of the salesman may when his return of sales is made be readily detected.

I do not desire to limit myself to the specific features shown, as it is obvious that many mere mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the tank, the measuringvessels supported below the tank, a branched supply-pipe connecting the tank, the measuring-vessels, and a discharge-pipe, the threeway cocks interposed between the supply and discharge branches of pipes, and the lever and connecting-bar to simultaneously open the supply to one of the measuring-vessels and the discharge from the other measuringvessel.

2. The combination of the tank, the two measuring-vessels below it, the dischargepipe and faucet for both measuring-vessels, the branched pipe leading from the tank and connecting the discharge-pipe and measuring-vessels, the three-Way cocks arranged within the branches of said pipe between the IIO supply and discharge branches of the measuring-vessels, the lever and conneeting'rod bar to simultaneously open the supply to one vessel and the discharge from the other vessel, a register at the rear of the tank, and levers and links connecting the register and the mechanism for operating the three-way cocks, so as to automatically and simultaneously record the amount drawn from the tank, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the tank, two inclined measuring-vessels B B, arranged below the tank, the supply-pipe O for the measuring-vessels, having cross branches 0' c, the three-way cocks c c at the ends of said crossbranch, the supply-pipes a, connecting the three-way-cock cases 0 and the measuringvessels the dischar e branches 0 connectin 9 b 3 b the cases of the three-way cocks and the discharge-pipe, the discharge-pipe 0', having faucet O at its end, levers c for turning the three-Way cocks, and the lever D and sliding bar D for connecting the lower end of said lever D and the levers of the threeway cocks,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the tank, the measuring-vessels below it, the discharge-pipe and faucet, the branch pipes and three-way cocks for supplying one of the measuring-vessels while the other is being emptied, the shifting-lever D and bar connecting said lever and the three-way cocks, the case E, the rockshaft (Z3 upon which the lever is secured, the arm (1 secured to the rock-shaft, the springpressed double pawl d pivoted upon the upperend of the bar OZ and adapted to engage the circular side walls of the case and vibrate the pawl in opposite directions, and the notched sector 6 to engage alternately the 0pposite detents of the pawl and prevent the return of the shifting-lever until it has made its full stroke.

WALTER H. BEEOHER.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. DAVIS, GEO. J. MURRAY. 

